Exercise equipment

ABSTRACT

An exercise equipment comprises a support unit  2  for supporting a user, and provides the user with a passive exercise by driving the support unit  2 . The exercise equipment further comprises an operation part C 1 , a display D, and a controller C. The operation part C 1  is configured to calculate a running distance based on the user&#39;s exercise volume, and, from the running distance and a running course, to determine a current location in the running course. The display D shows the current location in the running course to the user. The controller C is configured to change a posture of the support unit according to an inclination data at the current location. Thus, by changing the posture of the support unit, a posture of the user supported by the support unit is changed according to the inclination data.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to exercise equipments, and more particularly to an exercise equipment that assists a user to exercise one's body with an aid of external forces and thereby provides the user with a passive exercise.

BACKGROUND ART

In the past, there have been proposed various types of exercise equipments which provides a user with an active exercise, and also which makes a numerical map data cooperate to an exercise, in order to break a monotony generated by using an exercise equipment located in a room, or in order to improve continuity of the exercise.

For example, in an exercise equipment described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-23067, a user sets a running course while looking at a map shown on a display, and performs an exercise by using the equipment, and thereby the equip-ment provides the user with a moving distance and a current location according to the user's exercise volume via the map of the display. The equipment also changes load of the exercise according to an inclination data (calculated from an altitude data at each point) included in the map data. That is, if the current location on the map is an upward slope, the load of the exercise is increased, and if the current location on the map is a downward slope, the load of the exercise decreased.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

By the way, in the passive exercise equipment, not the user moves a unit, but the user is moved by a movable unit. Therefore, it is difficult to increase/decrease the load of the exercise widely, and the equipment can not provide the user with such loads as the upward and downward slopes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an exercise equipment which can introduce a change according to a slope change in a running course into a passive exercises.

Means For Solving The Problem

In order to solve the above problem, an exercise equipment of the present invention comprises a support unit for supporting a user, and provides the user with a passive exercise by driving the support unit. The equipment further comprises an operation part, a display, and a controller. The operation part is configured to calculate a running distance based on the user's exercise volume and, from the running distance and a running course, to determine a current location in the running course. The display shows the current location in the running course to the user. The controller is configured to change a posture of the support unit according to an inclination data at the current location. By changing the posture of the support unit, a posture of the user supported by the support unit is changed according to the inclination data.

In addition, other than the pre-defined running course, the user determines a starting point, a way point, and a goal point by using a map shown on the display based on a numerical map data, and thereby a running course may be set.

If the support unit is a seat in which the user sits or a step on which the user rests one's foot in a standing position, it is preferred that the controller is configured to change an inclination of the seat or the step in a front-back direction. If the support unit is a seat in which the user sits while resting one's foot on a footrest and the footrest is movable with respect to a vertical direction, the controller may be configured to change a vertical position of the seat with respect to the footrest.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

The exercise equipment of the present invention can change the user's posture according to a slope angle and thereby can change load acting on each muscle of the user because the posture of the support unit is changed according to the inclination data. Then, the exercise equipment can relate slope angles to different loads applied to the user's different muscles used in the upward and downward slopes, respectively. Therefore, the exercise equipment can make the user perform the passive exercise simulating a running course in which the upward and downward slopes are arranged. For this reason, the user can enjoy more various exercises, and then can selectively develop a particular muscle among a plurality of muscles used in the exercise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in further details. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an oblique perspective figure showing an outline of an exercise equipment according to said embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a partial exploded oblique perspective figure of said exercise equipment;

FIG. 4 is a partial side view of said exercise equipment;

FIG. 5 a partial exploded oblique perspective figure of said exercise equipment;

FIG. 6 is an oblique perspective figure of an exercise equipment according to another embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective plain view of said exercise equipment;

FIG. 8 is an oblique perspective figure showing an operation of said exercise equipment; and

FIG. 9 is a fracture side view of said exercise equipment.

EXPLANATION OF REFERENCES

-   -   1 MAIN UNIT     -   2 SEAT     -   3 DRIVE UNIT     -   4 POST     -   5 STEP DRIVING UNIT     -   6 FOOTREST     -   7 STEP     -   9 OPERATION PANEL     -   C CONTROLLER     -   C1 APPARATUS CONTROL PART     -   C2 OPERATION PART     -   D DISPLAY

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, An embodiment of the present invention is explained based on attached drawings. An exercise equipment comprises a base 10 which is provided in its lower surface with a grounded part, a rising unit 11 which is located so as to rise from a rear side of the base 10, a seat 2 which is located in a top end of the rising unit 11, a post 8 which is located so as to rise from a front end of the base 10, an operation panel 9 which is located in a top end of the post 8, left and right footrests 6, 6 which are located on a top surface of the base 10 and on which the user can rest one's left and right feet while sitting in the seat 2, respectively, and a kicking strap 77 which is located at the rising unit 11. A drive unit 3 is located inside the rising unit 11 and drives the seat 2 provided with a backrest 20.

As shown in FIG. 3, a support frame 13 is located inside the rising unit 11 and is moved in a vertical direction by an electric actuator 14. The drive unit 3 is mounted in a top surface side of the support frame 13.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the drive unit 3 comprises a box-shaped movable frame 30. A motor 31 and a gear 34 are located inside the movable frame 30, and the gear 34 applies a rotation of the motor 31 to two output axes 32, 33. A movable plate 40 is located on an upper side of the movable frame 30, and two link plates 41, 42 connect the movable plate 40 and the movable frame 30. Bearing parts 300, 300 are located in front and back end faces of the movable frame 30, respectively, and are rotatably connected around an axis A, shown in FIG. 4, with respect to the support frame 13 arranged inside the main unit 1, and thereby the movable frame 30 is attached to the main unit 1.

Here, the link plate 41 is connected in a rear end of the movable plate 40, and is connected to a side surface of a rear side of the movable frame 30 with an axis 301. The link plate 42 is arranged inside the movable frame 30. One end of a rotation plate 39 is supported by the movable frame 30 via an axis 302, and the link plate 42 is supported by the other end of the rotation plate 39 via an axis 303. In addition, the link plate 42 is connected to a front end of the movable plate 40 via an extendable actuator 45.

The two output axes 32, 33 are driven to rotate, respectively, and a eccentric portion of the output axis 32 is located in a lateral surface side of the movable frame 30. This eccentric portion is connected to the support frame 13 with a link 35.

The output axis 33 comprise two eccentric portions 33 a, 33 b which are located in a lateral surface side of the movable frame 30. The eccentric portion 33 a has small eccentricity, and is connected to the link plate 42. The eccentric portion 33 b has large eccentricity, and is connected to a connection link 36 of which one end is connected to the link plate 41. Then, they constitute a pitch drive unit.

The eccentric portion of the output axis 32 is connected to the support frame 13 with the link 35, and the movable frame 30 is rotated and reciprocated around the axis A by a rotation of the eccentric portion.

An eccentric rotation of the eccentric portion 33 a of the output axis 33 swings a front end side of the movable plate 40 in a front-back direction and a vertical direction via the link plate 42 and the extendable actuator 45. An eccentric rotation of the eccentric portion 33 b swings a rear end side of the movable plate 40 mainly in a front-back direction via the connection link 36 and link plate 41. T1 in FIG. 4 shows a trajectory of a front-back motion of a connection axis 40 a connecting the link plate 41 and the movable plate 40. T2 in FIG. 4 shows a trajectory of a front-back motion of a connection axis 40 b connecting the extendable actuator 45 and the movable plate 40.

Here, the seat 2 is fixed on the movable plate 40 which is driven to oscillate in front-back and left-right directions with rotations of the output axes 32, 33. Therefore, the seat 2 also oscillates in front-back and left-right directions with the movable plate 40. Then, rotating speeds of the output axes 32, 33 are set up so that the seat 2 performs two cycle oscillations in the front-back direction while performing one cycle oscillation in the left-right direction. Phases of front-back and left-right oscillations are set so that the movable plate 40 and the seat 2 oscillate forward when the drive unit 3 inclines in the left-right direction.

The extendable actuator 45 is mounted in order to change a front-back inclined angle of the seat 2. Then, the extendable actuator 45 extends/contracts by operating a switch mounted in the operation panel 9 or by a controller C described below, and changes the front-back inclined angle of the seat 2, and switches to a forward tilting posture, a horizontal posture, or a backward tilting posture.

The post 8 is located so as to rise from a front end of the base 10 of the main unit 1, and a bottom end of the post 8 rotates in a front-back direction around an axis B within a predetermined angle with respect to the base 10. As above, the operation panel 9 is located in a top end of the post 8, and handles 80, 80 are located in left and right ends of the top end, respectively.

The footrests 6, 6 are located between the rising unit 11 and the post 8 on a top surface of the base 10, and are supported so as to be movable in a vertical direction, and are biased upward by a spring (not shown). When the user presses down the footrest 6 with one's foot, a repulsion force is generated by the spring and then load is added to the foot.

The kicking strap 77 is formed into a rod-shape and is located in the rising unit 11 of the main unit 1. The user can rest one's left and right feet on left and right ends of the kicking strap 77, respectively. As shown in FIG. 2, the kicking strap 77 is evacuated downward so that the kicking strap 77 does not cause an obstruction when the user rests one's foot on the footrest 6 while sitting in the seat 2. The kicking strap 77 is moved upward when used. Although mechanistic explanation is omitted here with respect to a vertical motion of the kicking strap 77, the kicking strap 77 may comprises left and right kicking straps 77, 77 which are hung up in the seat 2.

Such exercise equipment can perform the following two exercises. That is, the kicking strap 77 is evacuated downward as above, and the user rests one's left and right feet on the footrests 6, 6, respectively, while sitting in the seat 2, and throws a switch mounted in the operation panel 9, and thereby the drive unit 3 drives to oscillate the seat 2. Then, as above, the seat 2 is inclined forward while being inclined in a left-right direction. Thus, the oscillation of the seat 2 makes the user' weighted center move to one foot side, and leads the user to support one's own weight with one foot, and thereby the user presses down the footrests 6, 6 alternately without thinking.

A resistance is produced in the spring according to this press motion and provides the user's foot with an exercise. In addition, if amount of descent of the footrest 6 is set appropriately, the exercise equipment can keep a relative distance between the seat 2 and the footrest 6 substantially constant. Thus, the user can keep an angle of one's knee joint constant even if pressing down. For this reason, even if the user has diseased knee and feels pain when bending and stretching the knee, the user can use the exercise equipment without problems. In particular, if the user sets a height of the seat 2 so that the knee's angle becomes about 140°, the exercise equipment can minimize load acting on the knee. If the user sets the height of the seat 2 low so that the knee's flexion angle becomes large and presses down, the exercise equipment can also add load of the spring to the knee joint.

On the other hand, if the kicking strap 77 is moved upward and the user rests one's feet on the kicking strap 77 while sitting in the seat 2 and the drive unit 3 drives to oscillate the seat 2, the user can perform the exercise resembling a horse riding. Then, the user's body is oscillated back and forth and around. The user moves to keep balance according to the oscillation.

If the user grips the handle 80 mounted in the post 8 while performing any of these exercises, the user with impaired balance function can also feel safe to use the exercise equipment. As above, the post 8 is mounted so as to rotate in a front-back direction around the axis B within a predetermined angle, and thereby the handle 80 does not cause an obstruction just when the user sits in the seat 2.

Then, an operation control of the equipment is explained. A controller C comprises the motor 31 for driving the oscillation, the extendable actuator 45 for switching the incline of the seat 2, and an apparatus control part C1 which controls an operation of the electric actuator 14 for changing a vertical position of the seat 2. Also, the controller C is formed with a microcomputer, and is connected to a database DB and an input device I. The database DB stores a plurality of running courses and a scenic image data (or a scenic movie data) of each running course. The input device I includes a display D and the above-mentioned switch mounted in the operation panel 9.

The plurality of running courses in the database DB are constructed from a distance data of a starting point to a goal point and an altitude data of a way point, respectively, and are associated with the scenic image of each running course.

In addition, the controller C comprises an operation part C2 other than the apparatus control part C1. The operation part C2 calculates a running distance by multiplying the user's exercise volume by a predetermined coefficient, and determines a current location in the running course selected by the user from the running distance.

If the user operates the operation panel 9 to choose a course running mode, the controller C shows the plurality of running courses in the database DB on the display of the operation panel 9, and thus the user determines the running course while looking at the display. If the user determines the running course, the controller C reads out a data of the running course and shows the running course as a profile map reflecting difference in height on the display D.

If the user throws the switch and thereby the seat 2 starts to oscillate, the controller C calculates the exercise volume, which the oscillation of the seat 2 apply to the user, based on a predetermined data, and calculates the running distance by multiplying the exercise volume by a predetermined coefficient, and shows the current location in the running course by mapping on the profile map. In this time, the controller C also shows the scenic image according to the current location on the display D.

Furthermore, the controller C calculates a slope angle of the current location base on the altitude data included in the data of the running course, and changes a front-back inclined angle of the seat 2 according to the slope angle. That is, by extending and contracting the extendable actuator 45, the seat 2 is changed to a backward tilting posture if the current location is an upward slope, and the seat 2 is changed to a frontward tilting posture if the current location is a downward slope. In addition, a slope angle data calculated in advance may be included in a data of the running course.

With respect to the user sitting in the seat 2, such posture change of the seat 2 makes the user's upper body keep a slouching posture if the current location is the upward slope, and makes the user's upper body keep a backward tilting posture if the current location is the downward slope. In these posture changes, even if the seat's oscillation volumes are the same each other, load acting on each used muscle is changed. Then, these posture changes can provide the user's each muscle with the same load as actual uphill or downhill.

Such operation is common to the above-mentioned two exercises. However, when the user rests the foot on the footrests 6 while sitting in the seat 2, the exercise equipment may be configured to change not the front-back inclined angle of the seat 2 but a height of the seat 2. As a result, the exercise equipment may change a distance of the footrest 6 to the seat 2 to correspond to the slope angle data in the running course. That is, the seat 2 is set low when the current location is the upward slope, and the seat 2 is set high when the current location is the downward slope.

An exercise equipment of another embodiment is shown in FIGS. 6 to 9. This exercise equipment comprises a main unit 1 which is provided on its top surface with left and right steps 7, 7, left and right handrails 85, 85 which are extend so as to stand from the main unit 1 and of which heights can be adjusted in a vertical direction, respectively, an operation panel 9 which is arranged by using a part of each of the handrails 85, 85 in a front side of the main unit 1, and a step driving means 5 which is located inside the main unit 1 and drives the steps 7, 7. A user rests one's left and right feet on the steps 7, 7 while standing and gripping the left and right handrails 85, 85 with one's hands, respectively. In this standing position, the step driving means 5 drives to move each of the steps 7, 7 so as to change a vertical position relation between front and rear ends of each of the steps 7, 7, while sliding and reciprocating each of the steps 7, 7 in front-back and left-right directions. Therefore, the user's feet rested on the steps 7, 7 repeat a plantar flexion motion such as moving the user's toe side downward and a dorsi flexion motion such as moving said toe side upward, respectively.

An example of the step driving means 5 is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Guide rails 51, 51 are fixed to left and right sides of a top surface of a base plate 50, respectively. A slide block 52 is mounted in each of the guide rails 51, 51, and is provided in its bottom with a slider unit which is moved slidably along the guide rail 51. A rotary shaft 53 is mounted in a top surface side of each of the slide blocks 52, 52. The plate-shaped step 7 is supported by the rotary shaft 53 so as to be moved rotatably around the rotary shaft 53

A link 54 connects one end (a rear end) of each of the steps 7, 7 and the base plate 50. Universal joints 60, 60 are located in a connection unit connecting a lower end of the link 54 and the base plate 50 and a connection unit connecting an upper end of the link 54 and the step 7, respectively.

A motor 55 for driving is located between the left and right slide blocks 52, 52 on the base plate 50. An output shaft of the motor 55 is provided with a worm 56. Worm wheels 57, 57 are located in left and right sides of the worm 56, respectively. Each of the worm wheels 57, 57 gears the worm 56 and is provided with an eccentric shaft 58. A connecting rod 59 connects the eccentric shaft 58 and the link 54. In addition, the worm wheel 57, comprising the eccentric shaft 58, and the link 54 are located separately each other in a longitudinal direction of the guide rail 51. Also, universal joints 60, 60 are located in a connection unit connecting one end of the connecting rod 59 and the eccentric shaft 58 and a connection unit connecting the other end of the connecting rod 59 and the link 54, respectively.

Now, when the eccentric shaft 58 is rotated by the motor 55 via the worm 56 and the worm wheel 57, the connecting rod 59 constitutes a crank mechanism with the eccentric shaft 58 and makes the link 54 swing around the universal joint 60 of the base plate 50 side. In this swing, the slide blocks 52, 52 and the steps 7, 7 are slid and reciprocated along the guide rail 51 due to a motion of a component corresponding to a longitudinal direction of the guide rail 51.

Also, the connection unit connecting the link 54 and the step 7 can move in a vertical direction by the swing of the link 54, and thus the step 7 rotates around the rotary shaft 53. The connecting rod 59 connects the eccentric shaft 58 and the link 54 so that the step 7 becomes to be horizontal in middle of a stroke of the above-mentioned sliding motion, and a rear end of the step 7 connected with the link 54 is moved upward in one end of the stroke, and the rear end of the step 7 is moved downward in the other end of the stroke.

For this reason, the step 7 slides along the guide rail 51, and the user's toe side is moved downward when the step 7 is moved forward, and the user's heel side is moved downward when the step 7 is moved backward. That is, the step 7 is moved so as to rotate.

An opening angle “α” is set between the left and right guide rails 51, 51, as shown in the figure, and the slide blocks 52, 52 and the steps 7, 7 move so as to spread laterally when moving forward. The rotary shaft 53 is a rotation center of the step 7, and is located so as to be perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the step 7 and in a rear end side from a center of the longitudinal direction of the step 7. Furthermore, the rotary shaft 53 is set so that its axis direction is not perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the guide rail 51, and so that a front end (the user's toe side) of the step 7 is located in a direction deflected inward with respect to the guide rail 51. The steps 7, 7 are located so that a distance between their front ends is larger than that between their rear ends, and an opening angle “β” of these steps 7, 7 is set within 10 to 30°.

In addition, the guide rails 51, 51 may be set parallel to each other, and thus the steps 7, 7 may be slid only in the front-back direction and may be rotated only in the front-back direction.

The left and right steps 7, 7 is driven by the step driving means 5 and this driving is set so as to change a position of the eccentric shaft 58 mounted in each of the worm wheels 57, 57 gearing the worm 56, and to move the step 7 of the left foot side backward when moving the step 7 of the right foot side forward, and to move the step 7 of the right foot side backward when moving the step 7 of the left foot side forward. That is, this driving is set so that steps 7, 7 are moved each other in an opposite phase.

If the user rests one's left and right feet on the left and right steps 7, 7, respectively, and throws the switch located in the operation panel 9 while standing and gripping the handrails 85, 85, the step driving means 5 provides the left and right steps 7, 7 with front-back and left-right motions in the opposite phase, respectively. Then, each of the steps 7, 7 is rotated so that its front end is moved downward when being moved forward, and so that its rear end is moved downward when being moved backward.

For this reason, the user's feet is moved in front-back and left-right directions according to motions of the steps 7, 7, respectively. In addition, the plantar flexion motion and dorsi flexion motion are applied to the user's ankle joints according rotations of the steps 7, 7, respectively.

In this exercise equipment, the main unit 1 is formed from two-tiered members which are a bottom part 1 a and a top part 1 b, as shown in FIG. 9, and front ends of the members are connected each other rotatably. In addition, a screw 18 projects upward from an inside of the bottom part 1 a, and is screwed to a nut 19 which is located inside the top part 1 b. A motor 17 is mounted inside the bottom part 1 a and rotates the screw 18.

The controller C drives the motor 17 according to the slope angle data of the current location in the running course, and the motor 17 rotates the screw 18 in one direction, or in opposite direction. For this reason, the motor 17 can change an inclined angle of the top part 1 b, which is provided on its top surface with the steps 7, 7, with respect to a front-back direction. Therefore, this exercise equipment can also change the user's posture according to the upward and downward slopes.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the exercise equipment has the running course which is set in advance. However, the database DB may store the numerical map data including an altitude data like the above-mentioned prior art, and the display D may show a map produced from the numerical map data. If the user determines a starting point, a way point, and a goal point by using the map shown on the display, the controller C may produce the running course, and produces the inclined angle data from difference of point-to-point altitudes, and thereby the exercise equipment may change the postures of the seat 2 and steps 7, 7 supporting the user's body. 

1. An exercise equipment, comprising a support unit for supporting a user, providing the user with a passive exercise by driving the support unit, wherein the exercise equipment further comprises an operation part configured to calculate a running distance based on the user's exercise volume and, from the running distance and a running course, to determine a current location in the running course, a display for showing the current location in the running course to the user, and a controller configured to change a posture of the support unit according to an inclination data at the current location.
 2. The exercise equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support unit is a seat in which the user sits, wherein the controller is configured to change an inclination of the seat in a front-back direction.
 3. The exercise equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support unit is a step on which the user rests one's foot in a standing position, wherein the controller is configured to change an inclination of the step in a front-back direction.
 4. The exercise equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support unit is a seat in which the user sits while resting one's foot on a footrest, the footrest being movable with respect to a vertical direction, wherein the controller is configured to change a vertical position of the seat with respect to the footrest.
 5. The exercise equipment as claimed in claim 2, wherein the support unit is a seat in which the user sits while resting one's foot on a footrest, the footrest being movable with respect to a vertical direction, wherein the controller is configured to change a vertical position of the seat with respect to the footrest. 